‘Take it down!’ crowd chants as court rejects bid to keep Trump’s name on Kennedy Center

WASHINGTON, DC: Cheers erupted outside the Kennedy Center on Friday, June 12, after an appeals court rejected an emergency effort to stop the removal of Donald Trump's name from the iconic performing arts venue.

The ruling came just hours after lawyers representing Trump and the Kennedy Center's board asked the court to pause an order requiring the president's name to be stripped from the building's facade. As workers returned to the site, a crowd gathered outside the center, chanting "Take it down! Take it down!" while workers in hard hats and yellow safety vests assembled around scaffolding erected near the marble wall bearing Trump's name.

Donald Trump loses emergency appeal over Kennedy Center name removal

The emergency appeal was filed shortly before Friday's deadline set by US District Judge Christopher Cooper.

Earlier in the day, Cooper had already denied a last-minute request from Kennedy Center officials seeking to keep Trump's name on the building.

The judge ruled last month that the president's name had been added illegally and ordered the institution to remove it from the building and all official branding within two weeks.

In his 94-page opinion, Cooper wrote, "Congress gave the Kennedy Center its name, and only Congress can change it."

The decision marked another legal setback for the center's leadership, which had been trying to preserve the rebranding approved by its Trump-appointed board.

Crowd chants 'Take it down!' as workers prepare to remove Trump's name

Outside the venue, spectators closely followed developments throughout the day.

Workers had earlier erected scaffolding around the section of the building where Trump's name was attached.

Their efforts briefly stalled when thunderstorms moved through the nation's capital, leaving the lettering untouched for several hours.

When crews returned later that evening, the atmosphere quickly turned celebratory among those gathered outside.

As workers prepared to resume the removal process, chants of "Take it down!" echoed across the plaza.

Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio, whose legal challenge helped trigger the case, also appeared outside the venue as workers continued preparations.

Kennedy Center begins removing Trump branding and signage

The legal dispute extends beyond the building's exterior.

According to a June 4 memo from the center's general counsel, staff members were instructed to remove references to a "Trump Kennedy Center" from email signatures, documents, websites, signage, brochures and promotional materials.

The memo directed employees to instead use names such as "The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts" or simply "Kennedy Center."

Earlier this week, the institution removed Trump's name from its website.

An email promoting ticket packages for the June 28 Mark Twain Award ceremony was also sent under the Kennedy Center name without referencing Trump.

Cooper's ruling additionally blocked a previously approved $257 million renovation project that would have closed the venue for two years.

Kennedy Center visitors celebrate ruling as debate over Trump's influence continues

Among those watching Friday's developments was Bonnie Berry, a retired higher-education and events professional who said she had avoided the Kennedy Center since Trump's name was added.

Reflecting on the removal effort, Berry said, "It's a bittersweet day because I want to make certain it goes down."

She even suggested auctioning off the letters spelling Trump's name and using the proceeds to support arts programs and workers affected by recent changes at the venue.

Carolyn, a retired government employee who declined to provide her surname, said she viewed the renaming effort as inappropriate for a memorial dedicated to President John F Kennedy.

"Putting his name on everything is right out of the dictator playbook," she said.

Although she acknowledged that the name dispute was largely symbolic, Carolyn described the court ruling as a welcome development.

"I'm happy to be here and have this little splash of hope in the rain," she added.

The controversy traces back to December, when the Kennedy Center's Trump-appointed board voted to rename the institution "The Donald J Trump and the John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts."

Since returning to the White House, Trump has exerted significant influence over the venue, replacing board members and overseeing leadership changes that prompted criticism from many artists and patrons.